Ducks in winter advice

[carlren]

New to keeping ducks through the winter looking for suggestions and advise we have made a heated system to keep water from freezing and hopefully is high enough so they cannot play in it. We are building a smaller box for them to sleep in inside the coop. Do you feed them anything different in the winter? I currently feed an all flock feed from fleet farm but have heard that they will need more because they aren't eating bugs and other grass etc. do they need a heat lamp? We are in NE Minnesota.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Ducks are weirdly cold resistant. My mallards will sleep on frozen concrete while it's snowing. I highly doubt you'll need any sort of heat lamp.

Their only adjustment is that they get more corn in winter, and they seem to do fine. Our main problem has always been this: Ducks don't roost. In winter, predators are hungry. Make sure your coop is predator proof. I've only ever lost two chickens to predators. I've lost a lot of ducks.

 

[CntryBoy777]

The only thing I would suggest is a couple of wind breaks for them if there are open sides, and place them on the sides where the most, strongest, and coldest winds come from....being in Mn you will have drifting snow, so just protect them from getting swamped with it....ya might put an extra inch of bedding down that they can nestle and huddle in. Ducks have a layer of fat between the skin and meat that chickens don't have, so they can handle the temps fairly well.

 

[chickens really]

It's the Wind that is Hard on Ducks..I put down a bed of Straw in a corner of my covered Run also pine shavings and straw mixed in their House..I only lock them up in the Shed if Our Temps drop bellow -24C...I heat the Shed although it's not that warm...Water will still ice over although it's not -28C with Windchills around -34C...

 

[SARAH's little HOMESTEAD]

does anyone use those thermal hoses to fill water for ducks. do they work well? im just currious before i buy

 

[chickens really]

Nope...I carry pails of water...